Five Years Gone
by Ryan Brooklyn
Summary: UPDATED 2.2.09! Oneshot. Claire Bennett meets up with an unexpected person from her past a couple weeks before the episode “Five Years Gone” yet still in the same alternate universe Hiro and Ando came to. Slight AU. Rated T for safety.


**A/N: Another Clach fic for **The Queen of Mischief**. Thanks for the review! :-D **

**This fic has been edited slightly with more detail thanks to the fantastic and helpful review of **Sandshrew777**. Thanks again for your excellent review!**

**Disclaimer: **_I do not own anything pertaining to the TV show Heroes._

**Rating: **PG

**Genre: **Friendship/Romance/Drama/Angst

**Summary:** Claire Bennett meets up with an unexpected person from her past a couple weeks before the episode "Five Years Gone" yet still in the same alternate universe Hiro and Ando came to. (Slight AU)

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**Five Years Gone**

"Orders up!" I say, setting two plates of burgers on the counter. The men who had ordered them come forward and take them with a smile. I smile back and push a strand of dark brown hair behind my ear. It has taken a while to get used to the new look, but now I have to admit that I like it.

Andy looks over at me and gives me a grin. We have been dating for about two years now and everyone in the restaurant is waiting for him to propose. I must admit that I'm looking forward to that time as well. Ever since the incident at Homecoming, I have been running and hiding from everything and it was growing tiresome. Perhaps a marriage will help make things go back to normal.

"Excuse me miss," a voice says from behind me. "Could I have a Train-Wreck Special?"

The voice sounds slightly familiar and I frown, wondering what the stranger is talking about. I turn around slowly.

"We don't have any—" I cut off abruptly when I see who it is. At first I don't recognize him. Longish brown hair has been cut short; soft stubble on his cheeks has been shaved smooth; it is his eyes and familiar quirky smile that cause me to suddenly exclaim: "Zach?!" incredulously.

"You look better blonde," Zach, my best friend from Odessa, stands in front of me, grinning. I can hardly believe my eyes.

"Zach . . . what are you doing here?" I stare at him open-mouthed.

"Business trip, but is that the way you greet your best friend after five years?" he asks, his lips quirking into a half-smile.

I shut my mouth and smile, moving around the counter to give him a small hug. He wraps his arms around me and holds me close, burying his nose in my hair. I begin to feel slightly uncomfortable and I can feel Andy's eyes on me. I pull away and Zach lets me go.

"I've missed you Claire," he says softly, reaching over to stroke my cheek.

I turn my face away from his hand. He frowns slightly.

"Something wrong?" he asks.

"Zach," I say softly, glancing at Andy. His blonde head tilts to the side and he gives me a questioning look, eyebrows turned down slightly over his intense eyes. I take Zach's arm and lead him a little bit away.

"Claire," Zach says, his voice full of excitement and the geeky boy I used to know shines through the new exterior of clean shaven cheeks and business suit. "I can't tell you how much I've missed you! When you left, I was afraid you'd be gone forever. And now I finally find you and you start pulling away. What's wrong?"

"Zach . . ." I sigh, unsure of how to tell him. "I have a boyfriend."

Zach starts, looking as though I've punched him in the gut. "Oh," he says simply, rubbing the back of his neck. "So I guess . . . what happened between us the day you left," he shrugs, "didn't mean anything to you?"

"Zach . . . that was five years ago," I point out gently, my insides hurting to see him like this. "I thought I would never see you again."

Zach nods, his jaw tight. "It's okay, I get it." He attempts a small smile and shrugs again. "A person needs to move on after such a long time. That's cool."

I roll my eyes wearily. "Look . . . come over during closing time. You can take me back to my apartment."

Zach glances at Andy, whose back was now turned to us. "Won't your boyfriend get jealous?" he asks, grinning slightly as some of the old Zach shines through.

I allow a small grin of my own. "I can handle him," I say confidently.

He grins confidently and then leaves the store. As soon as he does, Andy hurries over.

"Who was that?" he asks, looking slightly worried. I laugh but it sounds somewhat forced in my ears.

"Just an old friend from Odessa," I say and pat him on the arm. "Don't worry Andy, you're still my man."

He grins and leans down to kiss me quickly before the manager sees. "Good," he says, and his lips brush my cheek before he goes back into the kitchen. I smile slightly but even as I am walking over to a table full of new costumers, I glance at the door through which Zach had left and I feel my heart speed up at the thought of seeing him again later that night.

0000000

The neighborhood is quiet when I lock up the restaurant; I turn around to see Zach leaning against a very expensive looking car. I raise my eyebrows.

"Wow, when did you get that?" I ask, putting the keys in my purse.

"Geeks get a lot of money for their talents," he says, pushing off the car and walking toward me. He sticks his hands in the pockets of his skinny jeans. I'm glad to see that at least he hasn't changed his style of clothing. They're endearing.

"I'm glad someone finally realized your talents," I say sincerely.

"So," Zach says, walking over. "Let me walk you home."

"You sure you wouldn't rather drive me?" I ask, smirking slightly.

"Walking's good exercise," he says, nodding his head absently like a dashboard bobble-head.

I smile. "Yes it is," I consent, beginning to walk. Zach keeps up pace beside me.

"So, how have you been?" he asks hesitantly. I shrug.

"Stressed sometimes, fine others."

He nods. "Stopped trying to kill yourself?" he asks, glancing down at me with an amused look.

I roll my eyes. "Yes, I've been over that for a while now. I'm twenty-one, Zach. I don't do silly teenager stuff anymore."

Zach looks somewhat disappointed. "None at all?" he asks.

I shake my head. "No, not really."

He looks thoughtful and then suddenly reaches over and tickles my side. I flinch and can't keep a giggle at bay. A sudden wave of fear flies over me.

"Zach," I say warningly. "Don't you even—"

I can't finish my sentence before he attacks, tickling me mercilessly. My laughing shrieks echo throughout the half-empty streets and I stifle my embarrassment as I hasten to push his hands away.

"Zach!" I gasp. "Stop!"

He finally does. I find I'm pushed up against the side of a building, gasping for breath, still giggling slightly. He stands very close, pressing gently against me. He lifts a hand and rests it against the wall above my head.

"See, you can still be a teenager," he says softly, grinning down at me.

"Grow up Zach," I say, my tone not very convicting.

"Make me, Miss Miracle-Grow," Zach whispers, narrowing his eyes slightly as he leans forward further.

For some reason I feel my breath hitch. _No, this is not happening_, I think, turning my gaze to the ground.

I thought all my feelings for Zach had disappeared after I had left Odessa. I thought I had moved on. But now old feelings are resurfacing and I feel like that angsty, starry-eyed cheerleader I used to be five years ago. I'm not sure I want to return to those feelings, but with Zach so close, breathing in his scent, I feel myself slipping.

"You're a lot of trouble," I mutter.

He looks confused. "Why?" he asks.

"Because . . ." I look up at him. "The world is falling apart, and all I can think about is that kiss I gave you right before I left Odessa."

Zach suddenly grins. "Oh is that all?" he asks, leaning closer.

I place my hands on his chest and push him away gently. He looks startled, and maybe a little hurt, but I turn away too quickly to figure out his expression. His hands return to their place in his pockets.

"Sorry," he says sincerely and somewhat sheepishly. "It was stupid of me to think I could just come back and have everything the way it was before. We've both changed too much."

I sigh but remain silent as we walk further along the sidewalk. I almost expect him to try again at conversation but he doesn't. He simply sticks his hands deeper into the pockets of his skinny jeans and walks silently beside me. I find myself studying him, remembering the long kiss we shared across the street from my house that day I left Odessa for good. What would it be like to kiss him now?

I surprise myself with that thought and whip my head around to look forward, struggling not to blush. He notices my quick movement and gives me a quizzical look. I don't meet his gaze, but my heart is pounding. I try to think of Andy as a distraction; try to think of his soft, sweet kisses. But I realize as I do that Andy's kisses lack the heat and passion that Zach had when we shared that goodbye kiss. I bite my lip gently in slight nervousness at these thoughts as we finally arrive at the apartment building.

"Maybe not _too_ much," I offer suddenly, referring to what he had said before the long silence. I stop and look up at him.

He looks confused again, obviously not remembering his words from earlier. "What—"

Before he could finish I impulsively reach up behind his neck and pull his lips down onto mine as I stand up on my tiptoes in order to reach him better. He starts in surprise, much like he had during our first and only kiss. This time however, he responds faster.

His hands snake up through my hair, messaging my scalp. I moan softly and pressed tighter against him, gripping his own hair in my hands. Our kiss becomes passionate and heated, not just a simple mouth on mouth kiss like it had started out as, just like how I thought it would be. Before I know it, I'm smashed against the side of the building and we are making out without a care in the world.

I feel a stab of guilt then, when I think of Andy. I start to pull away reluctantly. Zach's lips move to my neck and I arch it slightly to give him more room even as I sigh with regret, Andy's intense eyes suddenly coming to the forefront of my mind. His soft words asking me to be his girlfriend whisper across my ear as though riding on the wind.

"Zach," I say softly, regretfully. He only grunts and I feel him suck slightly on the edge of my neck where it meets my shoulder. I grip his shoulders tightly at the sense of pleasure this gives me and try to clear my head. It's difficult.

"Zach," I try again, clearing my throat. Even so my voice is hoarse. "We can't do this." He pauses, his lips frozen on the hollow of my throat. He pulls away slightly and looks into my eyes.

"Andy?" he asks, his voice husky.

I bite my lip, swollen from the kisses, and nod. "I can't do this to him. He cares about me. . . . And" I hesitate," I care about him."

A flicker of hurt flashes across his beautiful blue-green eyes. "Do you love him?" he asks dully.

"Yes . . .?" I say unconvincingly, feeling another twinge of guilt.

He sighs and runs his fingers through his hair as he steps back. "Fine Claire," he says. "But you were the one that started it," he points out with a hurt frown.

"I know I was," I answer, feeling horrible for leading him on like that and then pulling away. "I'm sorry."

I turn away and begin to open the door to the building when I feel a hand on my arm.

"Don't hesitate to call," Zach says seriously. "Really. If you need anything, anything at all, I'm here."

"Thanks," I say with a small smile, trying my best to get rid of the dizzy feeling his touch had left me with. "Goodnight Zach."

"Goodnight Claire," I hear him say as I turn back and step into the building.

It's only when I reach the elevators that I realize that I had tears on my cheeks. Who knew so much could change in five years?

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**There it is with another update, for I found I switched back and forth with the tenses. Not good. This one should be better. Please review and tell me what you think!**


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